<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EMzBjVIVylI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EMzBjVIVylI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Quote: Originally Posted by Republic Two championships does not equal a rich history of championships. This is not the Boston Celtics. It isn't the Los Angeles Lakers. It isn't even the Chicago Bulls. It's the Houston Rockets. I'm a fan, but let's keep things in proper perspective. I find it ridiculous to refer to our rich history of anything at this point, except maybe underachieving. Quote: Originally Posted by RV6 No, but i think TWO championships are far from a " history of championships". Rockets history really isn't that rich compared to the better franchises. We have only two rings, and only 4 finals appearances. We have some hallf of famers, but probably an average number compared to the rest of the league. We definitely haven't had a reputation of toughness and heart in over 10 years. You're pretty much summarizing the 2 championship years when talking about rockets' history.
Those teams in the 80s were pretty good too. Too bad they made horrible choices and had a major injury to Ralph. Damn the what ifs kill me.
I spit on the Summit, Calvin, Elvin, Moses, Ralph etc and why Clutch made this site simply because I'm so annoyed by Tinman's dictatorship of nostalgia. It's 2009; come join the rest of us!
Forget 94 and 95, those years were awesome, but they PALE in comparison to what this team could have been in the 80s if Lucas, Lloyd, and Mitch hadn't been busted for drug use. I'm thinking a dynasty of 4 or 5 Finals appearances, tons of historic match-ups with the Lakers and Celtics, and maybe even the early 90s Bulls. All of that would have led UP to the 1994 and 1995 teams. It's really sad that these rookies come in here thinking they know what the team is about because they started watching basketball 4-5 years ago. When I was 12-13 years old, sure I didn't know squat about the sport, and I wasn't even around for those 80s teams (I was born in 1983), but I took the time to research the team I was rooting for, and I appreciated the jerseys that were hanging in the rafters. To say this team doesn't have a rich history is just plain ignorant, and moronic, and I think we can all say that we are blessed enough to say that we root for a team that has been more than competitive throughout its history.
These guys spat on what Clutch/Jeff/Crew worked so hard for This site wasn't meant for people who don't respect our tradition. http://www.clutchfans.net/feature.cfm?FeatureID=48 R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Here's What It Means to Me MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 2000 12:00 AM CT By Jeff Balke Copyright 2000 ClutchFans.net Clutch City The Rockets brought home the only two major championships the city has ever known I am a native Houstonian, born and raised. I've spent only about 9 months living outside of the city I still call home and have seen a lot of changes in H-Town over the past 30 years. I've seen the growth and development of one of the nation's most beautiful skylines. I've been through one hurricane and countless other tropical weather systems. I've survived the heat, the humidity and even the occasional freeze. The migration of northerners to Houston during the oil boom of the 80's caused some temporary frustration and civic pride in the form of "If You Love NY, Go Home!" bumper stickers. For me personally, it conspired to bring the woman I now call my wife to Houston from New Jersey. Sports, in particular, has had a dramatic effect on Houston. It has galvanized us during the Luv Ya Blue, Clutch City and Cardiac Kids days and has torn us apart while we watched the Oilers leave and wonderful people like J.R. Richard and Kim Perrot suffer. To slightly alter a famous phrase: These have been the best of times. These have been the worst of times. Like all Texans, we Houstonians are a proud lot. From a little town in east Texas known to the rest of the world only for NASA to the fourth largest city in the nation, there is no reason not to be proud. But, for a city with as much pride as Houston, we are remarkably thin-skinned. For as long as I can remember, Houston has had a severe inferiority complex and that hasn't changed in the new millennium. The most recent example of the "lack of respect" shown Houston is the NBA not including the improbable run to the championship by the 1995 Rockets in its latest video featuring great underdogs and comebacks in the NBA. Is it a mistake not to include the Rockets team? Absolutely. Was it intentional? Who knows. Does it really matter? Only if we let it. Earning the respect of my peers has always been important to me. I've been a musician for better than half my life and there are usually two things musicians strive for and they are mutually exclusive: popularity or respect. All those who want to be rock stars desire popularity. Everyone else wants respect. As a young musician, I did everything I could to prove myself, not my age group but to older guys. I surrounded myself with great players and practiced like crazy. By the time I was in my early 20's, I had accomplished a lot with regards to my own abilities. I hadn't gotten a record deal or made a lot of money, but I was a good player. Then, I made a startling realization. To be well-respected, whether you are popular or not, you have to respect yourself. If you don't think you're any good, no one else will either. It was a realization that fundamentally changed my life. When I think about that, I realize that we Houstonians have to realize the same thing. We spend a great deal of time concerning ourselves with what the rest of the world has to say about us. As a result, every mis-spoken word by a national announcer, every highlight not shown, every time someone passes Houston over, every time we are underestimated becomes a perceived slight of our fair city, its citizens and its sports franchises. When the Oilers left town, no one could believe it, but there was an obnoxious sense of self-love in the air too. "To hell with Bud!" became our cry. We were shafted by a greedy owner and a league that perceived us as some backwater hick town. When LA got every break in the fight for a new team, it wasn't because it is the second biggest media market in the nation or the second largest city or because it is the land of glitz and glamour. No, to us it was the NFL disrespecting us again. This may or may not all be true, but what is for sure is that we don't help our own cause. Before the Rockets won back to back championships, we were the city of chokers. The Astros, Oilers and Rockets had all fallen short of the glory over and over and we knew they would do it again. Then, suddenly, the jinx was broken, or was it? Instead of extolling the virtues of our teams and our city, we still focus too much time and effort on how everyone disrespects us. It may seem a little corny, but we are what we think and we have to stay positive. A wise man once said that every idea and every action begin with a single thought. If your thoughts are positive, the results are positive. Take a lesson from those same "underdog" champions in 1995. During the finals against the Orlando Magic, Hannah Storm reported from the Rockets bench. She said that the players were very calm in the huddle despite being down a significant amount at the time. The reason they were calm is because they didn't think they were going to pull out a victory. They knew it. It may seem like a subtle difference, but it isn't. When a player has confidence in his shot, they all seem to fall. Remember that classic moment during the Bulls vs. Trailblazers finals when Jordan looked over at the NBC announcers and shrugged his shoulders as if to say, "I don't know how the shots are going it, they just are!" That is being in the zone. I've been there as a musician and it is a magical place. Every note you play is like a gift from God. There is almost nothing you can't do in that place. The zone comes from confidence and the knowing that you will be successful in anything you attempt. Life becomes easy even if it looks incredibly difficult from the outside and doing what guys like Jordan does looks EXTREMELY difficult! We, as fans, need to realize that it is time for us all to enter the zone. It doesn't mean we can't be critical of the team. Far from it. Growth requires criticism. We need to know what's wrong in order to know what is right. What I am suggesting is that we shouldn't automatically assume the worst - from our team, our city or anyone else. It doesn't mean that bad things won't happen. We just won't cause them by our thinking. When we know, not just believe, everything becomes easier. Another wise man once said that when a flower reaches for the light, it is not working hard, it is simply doing what it knows is necessary. In other words, there is no such thing as hard work, only work. We choose to make it hard. The same logic applies to respect or the lack thereof. There is no such thing as disrespect, only the belief on our part that it exists. The next time someone slights your team or your city or you, don't get angry. Learn from it. Within every disrespectful statement is some truism from which we can learn. If someone thinks you are wrong, don't just assume they are incorrect, find out why they think that way and try to improve yourself in the process. We all have something to learn. When others see that you are not effected by their taunts, their level of respect for you and your opinion will rise. Confidence in yourself and the realization that you aren't perfect but can learn from your mistakes rather than getting down on yourself for them is the key to earning the respect we all desire. It is no different for the Rockets or the city of Houston. Rather than being frustrated by inaction, take it upon yourself to act, positively. Instead of bemoaning the possible loss of the Rockets, get out and do something to stop it. Write to your government officials. Write to the Rockets. Organize support rallies. Let everyone know just what an asset the Rockets are to Houston. Instead of fearing the worst, make the best possible scenario happen. It's time for us to all think positive and earn that respect we so desperately want. After all, we deserve it.
It's 2009 and I'm still not going to let punks disrespect the Rockets history. If I were immortal, I'll do this til the planet gets destroyed.
Tinman, you are awesome. I find your posts and threads entertaining beyond belief. I bow down to thee .
